Vehicle brake-lever.



A. M. HARRIS.

VEHICLE BRAKE LEVER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1913.

1,071,736. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

A. M. HARRIS.

VEHICLE BRAKE LEVER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10, 1913.

1,071,736. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT M. HARRIS, 0F JENKINJONES, WEST VIRGINIA.

VEHICLE BRAKE-LEVER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Annual M. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jenkinjones, in the county of McDowell a d State of W estVirginia, have invented a new and useful Vehicle Brakediever; and Idohereloy declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to vehicle brakes, and more especially to thebrake lever, which is provided with means for holding the same atdifferent points of adjustment relative to the segment bar.

It is an object of this invention to dispense with the usual notches ot'the segment, in order that a more delicate adjustment may be affected,and in view of the fact that the strain will tend to throw the brakeshoes off from the wheel, the holding means will grip the segment moretightly.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitatealterations, to which the patentee is entitled, provided the alterations fall within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, ashereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the brake leverat its off position, and the brake shoe out of contact with the wheel.Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, showing the brake shoe barely applied,and the sprmg portion of the brake rod, but a mere trifle under tension.Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the spring portion of thebrake rod considerably under tension. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail Viewof a portion of the brake lever and its supplemental brake lever. Fig. 5is a cletail view of a portion of a mine car, showing the spring 8eliminated or dispensed with from the rod 7.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of theside of a mining car, to which the brake lever 2 is pivoted at 3. Alsofastened at 4 to the side of the car is a segment bar 5, from which theusual notches are eliminated. Connecting the brake levers at 6 is abrake rod 7, a portion of which is formed into coils 8, which, when thebrake lever is in the posi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1913.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

Serial No. 760,242.

tion shown in Fig. 2, are completely collapsed or closed against oneanother, so that when the brake lever is moved from its intermediateposition to its oll position, the brake shoe 9 will move from the wheel10. lVhen the brake lever is being moved from its intermediate positionto its oil position, the spring portion of the brake rod acts as a solidrod. However, when the brake lever is moved from its intermediateposition in the direction of the arrow a, the spring portion of thebrake rod is placed under tension, thereby increasing the pressure ofthe brake shoe on the wheel.

Arching over the segment bar 5 and secured to the brake lever is ametallic strap a 11. This metallic strap is secured to the brake leverby the bolts 12 and 13, and is designed to hold the brake lever adjacentthe segment bar. Fixed by means of a bolt 14 to the brake lever is aplate 15. This plate 15 is securely clamped to the brake lever by meansof the bolt 14 and its nut sufficiently in order to make the same rigid.Pivotally mounted upon the bolt 16 oil the plate 15 is a supplementallever 17, to which a metallic strap 18 is secured by the bolts 19. Theplate 18 also arches over the segment bar, in order to hold thesupplemental lever against the same. Mounted upon one of the bolts 19and the bolt 13 are washers 20 and 21, between which and the brake leverand the supplemental lever the eyes 23 of the bowed spring 24L arearranged. This bowed spring is provided with a coil 25, which lendsgreater yieldability, than it the coil was omitted. The tendency of thebowed spring is to throw the brake lever and the supplemental leverapart, thereby cans ing portions of the plates 11. and 18 to:trictionally bind upon the segment bar, thereby holding the brake leverin delicate adjusted positions. Another advantage in employing this formof bowed spring is the fact that it can be mounted in a more simple andeflicient manner than a leaf spring or a coil spring. In moving thebrake lever from its intermediate position in the direction of the arrowa in order to increase the pressure of the brake shoe, it is unnecessaryto move the supplemental lever in the direction of the brake lever, inorder to release the brake lever. In other words, it is only necessaryto push or pull upon the brake lever proper, to move it in the directionof the arrow (0, and when accomplishing such a movement of the brakelever, the supplemental lever automatically releases from frictionalcontact with the segment bar sufliciently to permit the brake lever tomove. However, when it is desired to release the brake shoe, thesupplemental lever is moved toward the brake lever, in which case thetension rod will tend to throw the brake lever to its off position.

From the foregoing it will be ascertained that there has been devised asimple and eflicient brake lever mechanism, adapted more especially inconnection with mine car's, and one which has been found desirable andpractical.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis 1. In combination with a tension brake rod, of a brake lever to whichthe tension brake rod is connected, a segment with re spect to which thebrake lever is concentrically pivoted, a plate rigidly fixed upon thebrake lever, a supplemental lever pivoted to said plate, members carriedby the brake lever and the supplemental lever for holding said leversmovable adjacent the segment, and a bowed spring interposed be tween thebrake lever and the supplemental lever, tending to throw the leversapart whereby the said members frictionally bind against the segment tohold the brake lever in adjusted positions with regard to the segmentagainst the action of the tension rod. I v p 2. In combination with atension brake rod, of a brake lever to which the tension brake rod isconnected, a segment with respect to which the brake lever isconcentrically pivoted, a projection detachably rigidly fixed upon thebrake lever, a supplemental lever pivoted to said projection, .platesarching over the segment, one carried by the supplemental lever whilethe having an intermediate coil and provided.

with eyes at its ends which receive-the diametrically opposite boltsbetween the washers and said levers, said bowed spring tend ing to throwthe levers apart whereby said plates will frictionally bindagainst thesegment to hold the brake lever in adjusted position with regard 'to thesegment against the action of the-tension rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT M. HARRIS. Witnesses:

J. H. 001mm, J. P. CURTIS.

(jopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0.

